High strength is a desirable characteristic in trailers, but the desire for strength typically competes with the needs for space and aesthetically pleasing construction. An important area of the trailer is the top perimeter comer which is formed by a top rail. Though successfully increasing strength, previous endeavors to strengthen top rails have sacrificed space and/or aesthetics.
Another aesthetic and functional concern, for trailers and the top rails in particular, is how awnings are mounted on the top rails. Presently, awnings are removably mounted on trailers by mounting strips. The mounting strips are fastened to the exterior surface of the trailers, usually the top rails, with conventional fasteners such as nuts and bolts. Thus, the mounting strips are raised significantly above the exterior surfaces of the trailers and the heads of the fasteners are typically exposed thereby detracting from the aesthetic value of the trailers. Further, the fasteners compromise the integrity of the top rails reducing strength and providing a pathway for water entry.